Back to School by John

When I was forty seven years old I returned to school.  I never did like school much when I was young.  I found it very boring most of the time.  However, I did like reading and spelling and was good at them. Handwriting for me was another matter, I just never got the hang of it and my efforts always failed to impress.

For years I’ve wanted to write like other people but did nothing about it.  I work at the Local Community Centre and it was here that I learned about a reading, writing and spelling course available to adults at Coláiste Dhulaigh.  I enrolled and turned up on my first night feeling that I’d be the only one of my age needing to learn such a basic skill.

I need not have worried.  The desks about the classroom were occupied with both men and women of all ages with different needs but with one aim, to improve themselves and learn a new skill.

I started with a headline copy.  It was a great help.  I moved on then to an ordinary copybook and practised regularly by copying articles from the daily papers and local news sheets.  Gradually I could see an improvement and this encouraged me to keep going.

In spite of my initial hesitation about the course, I am now glad I enrolled and turned up for the “One evening a week” class which I attended regularly.  After just one year attendance I saw that the constant practising has certainly paid off.

For years now I’ve been writing letters to my sister in Australia, always hoping she could read my writing.  Now I can see that my improved script is even better than hers!